Grasshopper exterminator



Sept. 16, 1941. F. P. NOFFSINGER ET AL 2,256,125

GRASSHOPPER EXTERMINATOR Filed Sept. 1, 1939 Z NHL Raw DBL MM 2 Y B Patented Sept. 16, 1941 GRAssnorPER EXTERMINATOYRV Fred P. Noffsinger, Ralph L. Noffsinger, and George H. Loustalet, Greeley, Colo.

Application September 1, 1939, Serial No. 293,024

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a grasshopper destroyer and has for its principal object the provision of a light, compact, eflicient, portable device which can be attached to the front of any automobile, mower, or tractor and which, when driven over a field will catch, crush, and deposit the crushed grasshoppers upon the field.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a device of this character which will not require a separate source of power; which can be instantly connected with the engine of the automobile or tractor; and which can be readily adjusted as to height above the ground without effecting its vertical position or its operation.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof, Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 illustrates the improved grasshopper destroyer in place upon an automobile.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section therethrough taken on the line 2--2, Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a cross section therethrough taken on the line 33, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view of an alternate arrangement of the crushing mechanism.

In the drawing, a typical automobile is indicated at Ill with its front bumper at I I.

The improved destroyer is attached to the automobile ID by clamping two up-right standards I2 to the front bumper II by means of suitable clamp plates I3. The standards I2 are connected, by means of parallel hinge links I4, to a pair of vertical frame members I5 which are supported by means of diagonally placed chains I6 extending from a position adjacent the bottom of the frame members I5 to a position adjacent the top of the standards I2. The effective length of the chains I6 is adjustable. by varying the position of the links thereof in vertical slots I! in the top of the standards.

The frame members I5 are permanently secured to and act as a support for a metal back plate I8 of a length suficient to extend outwardly beyond both sides of the path of the automobile.

A metal trough IQ is secured along the bottom edge of the back plate I8 and extends forwardly therefrom to an inclined side 20. At the extremities of the trough III are fiat belt pulleys 2| mounted upon pulley shafts 22. A fiat, flexible, endless belt 23 extends about the pulleys 2|. A crushing roller 24 is mounted upon an idler shaft 25 journalled in and extending between hinged supporting levers 26. The levers 26 are pivoted to the back plate I8 and to the side of the trough I9 upon suitable pivot bolts or rivets 21. The free extremities of the levers 26 are constantly pulled downwardly by means of tension springs 28 so that the crushing roller is constantly and firmly pressed against the belt 23.

The shaft 22 of one of the pulleys 2| is extended rearwardly of the back plate and provided with a V-belt pulley 29. Astub shaft 30 carrying a V-belt pulley 3| is furnished with the device. The stub shaft terminates in a key 32 of the type with which the usual motor crank is usually provided.

The stub shaft may be extended through the usual crank opening below the radiator of the automobile to engage the automobile motor crank shaft so that the stub shaft 36 will rotate with the crank shaft.

On some automobiles, the stub shaft 30 requires no other support than that provided in the automobile for supporting the starting crank. On other types, the stub shaft may be supported by a suitable bearing 33 which can be clamped or otherwise secured to the bumper II. A V-belt 34 extends between the pulleys 29 and 3|.

In use, the automobile is driven across the grasshopper infested area, preferably with the transmission in a lower gear so that the engine of the automobile is turning over at a comparatively rapid speed. This drives the top reach of the belt 23 to the right and, as the car moves, grasshoppers will jump against the back plate I8. This plate being of smooth metal provides no gripping surface so that the grasshoppers fall upon the moving belt 23 and are carried beneath the crushing roller 24. The crushed bodies are returned to the field as the belt rolls over the pulley 2|.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 4, the insects are not crushed upon the belt itself but are thrown from the belt into a chute 35 which directs them between a lower crushing roll 36 and an upper crushing roll 31. The lower crushing roll is driven from the roller shaft 22 through the medium of a suitable chain or belt 38. The upper roll is constantly urged against the lower roll by means of suitable tension springs 39.

The alternate form operates similarly to the previously described form and acts to prevent soiling of the belt 23.

It has'been found that the device can be vantageously mounted ahead of a tractor type mowing machine to eliminate the hoppers from signed to be pushed ahead of a vehicle comprising: a substantially vertical plate; an endless belt conveyor extending horizontally across the bottom of said plate; a crushing roller positioned op- LA grasshopper exterminator of the type depposite the delivery extremity of said conveyor to receive the grasshoppers therefrom; a spring pressed roller bearing against said crushing roller; and means for driving said conveyor and said rollers.

2. A grasshopper exterminator of the type designed to be pushed ahead of a vehicle comprising: a substantially vertical plate; an endless belt conveyor extending horizontally across the bottom'of said plate; a crushing roller positioned opposite the delivery extremity of said conveyor to receive the grasshoppers therefrom; an inclined plate positioned to convey the hoppers from-said conveyor to said crushing roller; a

spring pressed roller bearing against saidcrushing roller to crush the hoppers thereagainst; and means for driving said conveyor and said rollers.

' FRED P. NOFFS'INGER.

GEORGE I-I.;LOUSTALEII. RALPH L'. NOFFSINGER. 

